Lady Grizzlies fall just short of State after battling through regional tournament

Rocky Mountain defeats Big Piney but drops tight games to Thermopolis and Shoshoni

The Rocky Mountain Lady Grizzlies saw their season come to a close at the regional tournament last weekend, winning their opener against Big Piney before falling in two hard-fought games to Thermopolis and Shoshoni. While the results kept the Grizzlies from advancing to the state tournament, head coach Justin Moss said his team battled throughout the weekend and showed flashes of the strong play that carried them through the season.

#3 seed Rocky Mountain 42,
#2 seed Big Piney 39

Rocky Mountain opened the tournament Thursday afternoon with a 42-39 victory over Big Piney in a game that was close from start to finish. The Lady Grizzlies came out strong, scoring 15 points in the first quarter and building a halftime lead. Big Piney chipped away in the second half, but Rocky held on down the stretch to secure the win.

Against Big Piney, the Lady Grizzlies were led by junior Kaysie Cooley, who scored 12 points, going 5-10 from the field and hitting two three-pointers, while also contributing three rebounds and two steals.

Senior Lauren Bassett added 10 points, shooting 5-9 from the floor, and pulled down four rebounds while helping direct the offense. Junior Halle Grandalen finished with 9 points, converting two field goals and 5-6 free throws, and added five rebounds.

Freshman Sawyer Bassett also scored 9 points, going 4-9 from the field and contributing three rebounds and a steal. Senior Keylee Christiansen chipped in 2 points while adding two rebounds and a steal, and senior Layla Gardner, sophomore Leah Haslem and junior Charlee Welling contributed valuable minutes defensively as Rocky Mountain held off Big Piney for the win.

Moss said the team knew it had not played its best game but was pleased to come away with the victory.

“We didn’t play particularly well,” he said. “We had too many turnovers and fouls, and I think some nerves got to us early. But the girls found a way to win. Sometimes you take what I call an ugly W and move forward.”

#1 seed Thermopolis 47, Rocky Mountain 43

The semifinal matchup against Thermopolis Friday proved to be one of the most dramatic games of the tournament. Rocky Mountain battled the Bobcats throughout the contest in a tightly played game that featured multiple momentum swings.

The Grizzlies trailed by four points with about four minutes remaining but mounted a late rally to tie the game. After forcing a turnover and creating another scoring opportunity, Rocky had one final chance to win.

“We drew up a play and Lauren got a really good look at the basket,” Moss said. “It looked like she might have been fouled on the shot, but we didn’t get the whistle.”

Thermopolis quickly pushed the ball back up the floor and scored in the closing seconds to seal the narrow victory.

“We played some of our best basketball during stretches of that game,” Moss said. “The girls battled all the way through. It was just a tough way for it to end.”

In the Thermopolis game, Rocky Mountain received balanced scoring from several players. Senior Lauren Bassett led the Lady Grizzlies with 15 points, going 7-15 from the field and adding one three-pointer, while also contributing five rebounds and two assists. Cooley followed with 9 points, hitting three field goals including a three-pointer, and added three rebounds and a steal.

Grandalen scored 7 points, converting three field goals and one free throw, while also pulling down four rebounds. Sawyer Bassett contributed 6 points on three baskets, along with three rebounds and a steal. Gardner added 4 points and helped on the boards with four rebounds, while Christiansen scored 2 points and provided defensive pressure with two steals.

Haslem and Welling also logged key minutes, contributing defensively and helping the Grizzlies battle Thermopolis throughout the tightly contested game.

#2 seed Shoshoni 47, Rocky Mountain 43

Rocky returned to the court early Saturday morning in a must-win game against Shoshoni with a state tournament berth on the line. After a late night at the gym the night before, the Grizzlies struggled to match Shoshoni’s energy early in the 8 a.m. contest.

The Wranglers jumped out to a 12-6 lead after the first quarter and controlled the tempo early. Rocky Mountain responded with a strong third quarter, outscoring Shoshoni 19-15 to pull back into the game but ultimately fell 47-43.

Lauren Bassett led the Lady Grizzlies with 13 points, going 3-14 from the field while knocking down 7-9 free throws, and she also grabbed four rebounds and had two assists.

Cooley added 8 points, hitting 3-12 from the floor including one three-pointer, while contributing three rebounds and a steal. Grandalen finished with 6 points, shooting 3-9 from the field, and added five rebounds in the paint. Sawyer Bassett also scored 6 points on 3-8 shooting, while pulling down four rebounds and adding a steal.

Welling contributed 5 points, including a three-pointer, and added two rebounds. Gardner scored 2 points and helped on the boards with three rebounds, while Haslem added 1 point from the free throw line and contributed defensively as Rocky Mountain battled Shoshoni in the tightly contested regional matchup.

“They came out with more energy than we did,” Moss said. “We missed some shots we normally make, turned the ball over too much and just never quite controlled the tempo the way we wanted to.”

Final games for three memorable seniors

The game also marked the end of the high school careers of Rocky Mountain seniors Layla Gardner, Keylee Christiansen and Lauren Bassett.

Bassett, a two-time All-State selection, finished her career with 977 points and served as a leader on both ends of the floor for the Grizzlies.

“She sets the standard for how hard you’re supposed to work,” Moss said. “She shows up every day ready to go and puts in the effort. She’s been a true leader for us.”

Moss also praised Gardner for her positive attitude and steady improvement during her career with the program.

“She’s just a joy to have around,” he said. “She’s always positive and works hard to improve every season. She became a solid contributor for us.”

Christiansen’s athleticism and competitiveness also played an important role for Rocky Mountain.

“She’s a great competitor and very athletic,” Moss said. “She gives everything she has when she’s on the floor.”

Although the Grizzlies fell short of their goal of reaching state, Moss said he was proud of the way the team competed throughout the tournament and the season.

“This group gave us everything they had all season long,” Moss said. “High school basketball is a long grind, and there are always ups and downs, but what I appreciated most about this team is that they kept showing up for each other. They practiced hard, they supported each other and they kept working to get better.

“We had girls step into leadership roles, girls who brought energy every day and girls who were willing to do whatever the team needed. When you look back at a season, wins and losses are part of it, but the character and effort the girls showed every day is what you remember most. I’m really proud of the way they represented our program and our school.”